Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has told ESPN that the message to his players ahead of Saturday's second leg of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup final against Vietnam in Hanoi will be to keep calm in the face of expected provocation.

The Harimau Malaya fought back from a two goal deficit in the first leg in front of 90,000 fans in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to draw 2-2. Amid the excitement, the home team felt that Vietnam were guilty of some over-physical tactics and that, among other things, Do Duy Manh should have been red carded for what seemed to be a punch aimed at Malaysia captain Zaquan Adha.

"We know the way they will play and it was the same when we met in the group stage and it was the same in the first leg," Cheng Hoe told ESPN in an exclusive interview.

"Provocation is one of the key elements of their game. It can make you upset and you can lose your focus and make a mistake. That is what you have to avoid."